Why Gabriel Escaped a Red Card After Appearing to Kick Emi Martinez in the Face
- Arsenal defender Gabriel made contact with Emi Martinez's face during a frantic penalty area scramble in Sunday's fixture
- Referee Chris Kavanagh waved play on without producing any card, drawing immediate confusion from fans
- VAR reviewed the incident and upheld the on-field decision, with the contact classified under a specific provision of Law 12
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Arsenal defender Gabriel avoided any disciplinary action after his boot struck Chelsea goalkeeper Emi Martinez squarely in the face during the Premier League meeting on Sunday, September 6.
Referee Chris Kavanagh declined to show any card, and VAR subsequently backed that decision.
Source: Getty Images
Gabriel appears to kick Martinez's face
The incident occurred in the opening exchanges of the contest, with Arsenal already a goal down inside the first two minutes.
Martin Odegaard's low free-kick into the Chelsea penalty area triggered a scramble involving Gabriel, Jorrel Hato and Martinez.
As Gabriel attempted to win the ball and get a shot away, his boot swung up and made direct contact with the goalkeeper's face, as noted by talkSPORT.
Below is the incident that transpired between Gabriel and Martinez, as shared on X:
The Chelsea stopper remained on the ground and received medical attention before play could continue, a sight that heightened concern among supporters watching from the stands and following on social media.
The severity of the contact appeared, in real time, to be the kind of incident that typically invites the most serious scrutiny from match officials.
Why Gabriel escaped punishment
Kavanagh allowed play to proceed without reaching for a card of any colour, a decision that prompted widespread bafflement from viewers.
VAR reviewed the challenge, as confirmed during Sky Sports' broadcast coverage of the match, and found no grounds to overturn the referee's call.
The governing principle behind the decision lies within Law 12 of the Laws of the Game.
Violent conduct is specifically defined as a player using excessive force against an opponent when not in the act of challenging for the ball.
Because Gabriel was adjudged to be actively competing for possession at the moment his boot connected with Martinez, the violent conduct classification could not be applied.
The contact was ruled accidental, and the incident was closed without further action.
The ruling effectively meant that however alarming the collision appeared, the legal framework governing the game did not provide a route to punishment given the circumstances in which it occurred.
Why VAR disallowed Calafiori's goal
In another publication, YEN.com.gh reported that the Premier League had explained why Riccardo Calafiori’s goal against Chelsea was ruled out.
VAR found Ezri Konsa offside in the build-up, leading referee Chris Kavanagh to disallow the goal.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
